Sunday, January 25, 2015

Grow Your Blog Event & Give-Away!

If you're already a regular around here, I'm happy you stopped by and hope you'll scroll down to enter yourself in my GYB Give-Away. (But don't miss the paragraph below Wilma & Betty...because I'm talking about you there! SMILES!) If you are new to my blog, well Hello! I'm Val and this is me and buddy, Jackson. (He has a habit of photo bombing my quilt taking photo sessions often...you'll see!) This is a quilting/sewing hobby blog. People comment often that they like my "happy" quilts.

So Who Am I and Why Do I Blog?

My husband is my very best friend and we have started the "empty nest" chapter of life and are having a blast. We have two young adult daughters, one Sea Hawk Loving fan of a son-in-law, and an adorable (of course, right!) grandson who is 15 months old. I'm still close to my parents, though about 843 miles seperate us. These are the people I love to create quilty hugs for the most!By day, I'm a veteran (26 years) teacher, to a class of energetic Second Graders in Oregon, (USA). I started quilting in the Fall of 2009 and blogging a year and half ago to document my projects and growth as a quilter. (So it's safe to say I'm still pretty new to all of this).

I have found blogging to be very motivating in my completion of projects and love the "virtual quilting guild" it has created for me. I have made some wonderful friends blogging and enjoy the linky parties and blog hops we all participate in. We also enjoy exchanging fabric and patterns by way of "snail mail". I truly find this inspiration and support received from all my fellow blogging friends to be priceless. With that said, I'm only a blogger. I admittably don't even know what Twitter is and have never even been on Facebook. I like to sew and write.

What Kind of "Quilter" Am I?

As you can see from the above collage, I'm a pretty eclectic sewer who dabbles in applique, English Paper Piecing, (love my hexagons) traditional and out-of-the box piecing, long-arm quilting, quilt/sewing area organizing (See my Sunday Organizing Series). and I usually have many W.I.P. but let's not talk about that! (wink!wink!)

Anddd....here's another collage of quilts I made this past year:

(Told ya Jackson loves to photo bomb!)

I Hope You'll Join My Weekly Linky Party:

Stop by every Tuesday to link-up and share your

OLD quilting/sewing posts.

It's as easy as 1,2,3.

1. Each Tuesday I'll post one or two quilting/sewing themes.

2. Search through your quilting archives for old posts to link under the theme.

I will announce the winner and highlight their blog here at Val's Quilting Studio on February 15th. I will also email the winner, so make sure you are not a no-reply blogger. Everyone is welcome to enter as I'm happy to post internationally. Good Luck! I hope ya enjoy this meet and greet event!

Well...that's me. Feel welcome to check out my "pages" at the top of the blog and/or my "labels" over on the right. Maybe something will spark your interest! If so, become a "follower" and I can return the visit and follow your blog as well. (I even have quilts in my classroom. You can check out this selfie quilt below right here.)

With that said, I'm so grateful for this event Vicki organizes and the opportunity to network and meet others of like interests.There's almost 400+ bloggers in this meet and greet party. Crazy amazing! Click this pic for a quick shortcut to check things out:

Here's my chance #2 to win - I've been blogging since March 2013 so I am coming up on my two year anniversary. It has been a wonderful experience and I've enjoyed meeting so many lovely people like you!

I found your blog by the Grow your blog last year and have been a follower since. I hoped I would be a little better to spend time sewing last year, but it seems that knitting takes most of my time. But now it is a new year and new opportunities, and your blog gives inspiration!

I have been blogging since 2011 - had to look back to see. lolLike you I am a former elem. teacher and also was a principal. Loved the job most of the time. Love to quilt and have many WIPs. Hope you have fun visiting all the blogs.

I am very happy to say I am a follower and have been for a while now. I guess it's Google I use to follow...you couldn't prove it by me. (low tech)So happy to be in the race. Thanks for the chance.Hugs

I have been blogging since 2010 and have enjoyed every moment. So many amazing friends around the World. As you said, I also like to write and share photos and wish I could post more often. I like also IG, but Twitter and Facebook are not for me. Have a lovely week! x Teje

I don't remember how long I've been blogging. Just a couple of years. LOL, I set up a blog about 5-6 years ago, and no body - I'm talking not a single person - read it. I'd send links to my family, which basically the blog was just about my family and me, and they didn't care enough to read it. Very discouraging. So when I started quilting, and subsequently started blogging, I discovered readers! So nice to have readers :)

How could one not follow your lovely blog which oozes fun, fun, fun! I want to be a child in your class....it would be the best fun. Love all your happy quilts, they sing the merriest of tunes. I have been blogging for 2 years and like you, consider it rather akin to, (in my instance) a very long conversation between friends. So happy to be following you both on bloglovin and Google....I don't want to miss out on any of your infectious fun!!

Hi, Val. I'm your newest follower, for the moment. Nice to meet you. Thanks for visiting my blog. Love the party and it looks like we have a few things in common. Funny, I thought I was already following you. Well, I'm sure now and have added you to my blog roll on my page.

Hello! I'm Melissa and I just started blogging. I'm very new to it, and still trying to figure it out. Mostly I just post my WIPs because people on FB are annoyed of seeing them :)I only have a few posts but if you'd like to see :http://asssowip.blogspot.com/It's called "A Small Sample Study of Works in Progress" but the acronym for the url does seem a little unfortunate...might need to chance that

I've been following you since close to the beginning of your blog - I believe I started following you after I read your post about giving your fabric and thread scraps to the birds to build their nests with.

I'm not entirely sure how long I have been blogging for. I have had a few attemps at it over the years. Maybe it was 2010 the first time I had a go at blogging, but I wasn't sure about it. Then I tried blogging with my sister, but that didn't last. And now again by myself, with a little more consistancy than in the past. BTW, I forgot to say I follow you via my Blogger Reading List ( I probably also follow you on bloglovin, but I never really check bloglovin).

I don't have a blog of my own, it's something that I'm thinking about doing but don't know how to manage it in terms of time. I do spend a lot of time following blogs and I very much enjoy that ( my DH would say I'm addicted! Lol)

Val,Thanks for the visit and for adding me to your blog roll! I love your "happy quilts". Most of my projects are small, but trying to start something bigger (And finish it). I'll be back.Sandiwww.thevictoriangypsy.blogspot. com

Val, we met last year at the grow you blog party. I remember clicking on your blog and knew right away I liked you and your work. You are such fun. I have so enjoyed our growing friendship over the past year . I love you work, I love how you love your students, I love how you love your family, but I think you are a nut for walking all the time ! Please do not enter me in your giveaway I just wanted to stop in and send some love. Xo

Hi Val, just dropping by on the GYB party. Waving Hello from snowy cold east coast Canada, where we're expecting a foot of new snow tomorrow... I've been blogging 6 years, and quilting for 25+. Hope you'll drop by and visit me too!

Hi Val, I have been bloggin just a few months and quilting for 2 years. I am a 38 year old mom,wife, and recently disable nurse. I have been dx with RSD which is a nurse disorder so I try to quilt as often as my body will let me. It helps which the out rages pain I am in daily. Thanks for the chance!!!!! sonjasmith76@yahoo.com

I would love to browse in your studio! Your projects look amazing. Thank you for the tutorials. I have been quilting for over 20 years, and you can still find something that appeals to everyone. Thank you for the giveaway.

Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog! your quiltwork....is....YUMMY! I'm planning to dip my toe (tentatively) into the world of quilting later this year - if I practise every day for the next twenty years, if I'm lucky, I MIGHT make something HALF as lovely as your work! Maybe!Love your valentine quilt - gorgeous :) Sending hugs from Shroo:)xx

I'm not a blogger, but I am learning to quilt and sew. I too am best friends with my husband. We are close to having an empty nest. So I will be looking forward to grandchildren. Oh, and I have two daughters.Have a great day! dawnm1993(at)gmail(dot)com

So that you know, I've become a Follower and when time permits, I'll be back to see what other beautiful things were made by your hands!

What this party is all about is to GROW your blog and I'm hoping to do the same. When you get to Section One, check out A Country Chic Retreat and SuZeQ Creations, my personal blog, in Section Fifteen I'd love for you to follow and subscribe to.

Very nice to meet you Val , I will be happy to become a follower , you have so many of the same interests it will be fun to see your lovely work and happy quilts . Thanks for visiting ,y blog and becoming a follower too .

I am a 'veteran teacher too..just one year longer than you!.... Teenage deaf pupils in Somerset England. I am a brand new convert to patchwork and quilting...think it's the only thing keeping me sane....as my teenagers are yet to fly!,Best wishesWendyWBooth-Boyd@hotmail.com

Hello Val... so much to discover on your blog!!! I'm quite new with quilting - in 2014 I finished my first two quilts and only about 1 week ago I finished a project which brought me to quilting (my postcrossing quilt with fabrics from all over the world). I love your blog-party idea to re-cover old posts concerning special topics ... so I will follow your blog and come back again! Kind regards, Annett

Hi! Love your blog. I am a follower. I have been attempting to blog, very sporadically since 2011.My blog is called Ozark Country Stitchin. HHopefully I will get better. Thanks for the chance to win.wigglypup2 at yahoo dot com

I may not be a blogger, but I am a follower via e-mail and love the blogs, because they introduce us to so many talented people, eager to share their knowledge and willing to lend a hand. lv2bquilting2@comcast.net

And why do I blog? Guess it can't possibly be because I'm a Mrs Havachat, can it? LOLI blog because I wanted to record my creations. I realised a couple of years back that for all the years I've created, I have very little to show for it, as most of my quilts go to charity. I only have a few things here at home. As I got used to blogging, I found I really enjoyed "talking" to the world, and getting "conversations" going on my posts. Love it!

Hi Val! I enjoyed getting to know you better. I've followed your blog, but this was so much fun to see all you do! I'm a 26th year teacher also! You make me tired just seeing what you've accomplished in one month. The time I quilt the most is S-U-M-M-E-R! I've been quilting for 8 years, blogging for 4 years. Thanks for the giveaway!

I've been blogging alittle over 3 years now. I don't have a lot of time to write posts, but do try to keep up. You know I love that Jackson, he's got personality for sure! Thanks for the chance to win, hope you get lots of new visitors from the GYB!

Hello Val, you certainly do make happy quilts. They're beautiful. Thank you for your sweet visit to my blog. It truly is like a good conversation, the blogging thing, isn't it. Wishing you a happy day and sending you sunny smiles ~ Wendy of Apple and Apricot blogsvanwendy@live.nl

I enjoyed learning about you and what you do. Its a pleasure meeting you and learning about your passions. I've became a new follower. Thanks for giving us a chance to win something. My email is per7867@yahoo.com.

Jackson is too cute and that's coming from a 'cat person'. I especially love the photo of him barking while standing on the dog fabric. Funny! I can't remember how long I've been blogging and am too lazy to check that out right now. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck growing your blog.

I don't have a Blog, hope can still play the Give-a-way chance here? :) Loooove the quilts you have made! I am pretty new to all this...have made a few...but pretty simple ones...and only Stitch-in -the -ditch quiklting too. Practicing small FMG things...usually become Potholders for me! lol